Wandering Whistling-duck vs White-faced Whistling-duck
Dendrocygna arcuata compared with Dendrocygna viduata
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Wandering Whistling-duck | White-faced Whistling-duck |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Dendrocygna arcuata | Dendrocygna viduata |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 37.2 cm (14.6 in) | 42.9 cm (16.9 in) |
| Weight | 779.5 g (27.50 oz) | 689.5 g (24.32 oz) |
| Diet | Eats grasses, sedges, and aquatic plants in tundra; winter diet of coastal salt marsh grasses … | Grazes subarctic tundra grasses and sedges; winters on coastal salt marshes eating saltmarsh grasses and … |
| Clutch Size | 6-15 | 4-16 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Wandering Whistling-duck
Tropical freshwater marshes, flooded grasslands, swamps, and lake margins from the Philippines and Indonesia through Papua New Guinea to northern and eastern Australia. Nomadic following wet season flooding.
White-faced Whistling-duck
Freshwater lakes, marshes, rice paddies, flooded fields, and slow-moving rivers in sub-Saharan Africa and tropical South America. Tolerates a wide range of modified wetlands. Nomadic, following water availability.
Song & Call Comparison
Wandering Whistling-duck
A soft whistle 'whi-whi-whi' in flight. Less vocal than other whistling-ducks; flocks tend to be quieter. Given at dawn and dusk during flight to roosting or feeding areas.
White-faced Whistling-duck
A clear, 3-syllable whistle 'wee-wee-WEE' — the origin of 'whistling-duck'. Given in noisy flocks during flight. Also gives a softer 'de-de-de' contact call on water.
Geographic Range & Migration
Wandering Whistling-duck
Breeds in Arctic and subarctic regions; winters at sea around the Antarctic pack ice, one of the longest migrations known.
White-faced Whistling-duck
Found in floodplains and wetlands of the Llanos in Venezuela and eastern Colombia. Sedentary and locally nomadic in wet savannas.
Conservation Status
Wandering Whistling-duck
White-faced Whistling-duck
How to Tell Them Apart
Wandering Whistling-duck
Rich chestnut-brown head and neck; dark brown back. Flanks rufous with pale buff streaks and dark spots. Belly blackish. Long, dark pinkish legs. Upright posture typical of whistling-ducks. Sexes similar.
White-faced Whistling-duck
Distinctive white face and throat contrasting with black hindneck. Breast chestnut; sides and flanks barred black and white. Back brown. Long gray legs. Sexes identical; upright whistling-duck posture.
About These Birds
Wandering Whistling-duck
A medium-sized whistling-duck with rufous-brown body, dark brown back, pale buff underparts, and a chestnut collar. Found in tropical wetlands from Indonesia to Australia and Pacific islands. Highly social and nomadic. Forages by dabbling and diving in shallow freshwater.
White-faced Whistling-duck
A tall elegantly built whistling-duck with a conspicuous white face, chestnut body, barred flanks, and a distinctive three-note whistle. Widespread in sub-Saharan Africa and South America. Forms large noisy flocks at freshwater sites. Highly gregarious; roosts and nests communally.